FOND DU LAC – Envision Greater Fond du Lac will recognize community members and organizations with five community awards at its inaugural annual meeting on Feb. 20 at Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts. Awards to be given out include Business Excellence Awards, Eden-Schneider Award, Lifetime Achievement Award and Volunteer of the Year Award.

Drexel Building Supply and Fat Joe’s Bar and Grill will receive the Business Excellence Award. To receive the award, businesses must demonstrate excellence that has left a positive impact on employees, clients and the community.

Drexel Building Supply consistently fosters a corporate culture that had created outstanding employee retention and workplace morale. They recently opened the Blue Door Coffee Co., with 100 percent of profits donated to local charities.

Fat Joe’s Bar and Grill added a rooftop patio in 2017, making it a one-of-a-kind venue in Downtown Fond du Lac. The rooftop draws from all age groups, but particularly millennials, who occupy a significant share of Fond du Lac’s workforce.

Fond du Lac Area Women’s Fund received the Eden-Schneider Award, which was founded in the spirit of former board chairs Tom Schneider, president of Silica For Your Home and Dr. Jim Eden, vice president of Academic Affairs at Moraine Park Technical College, to bring together the Association of Commerce and Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation to form Envision Greater Fond du Lac. It recognizes an organization’s collaborative spirit to have a positive impact on employees, their industry or the community.

Fond du Lac Area Women’s Fund promotes positive change in the lives of local women and girls through programs that focus on education, leadership development, financial self-sufficiency, and dignity, safety and freedom from violence. Currently, they are leading the “Fond du Lac Says No More” campaign through partnering with business and non-profits to bring awareness to violence against women and girls locally.

Dr. Darold Treffert of the Treffert Center will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Treffert has been studying autism and savant syndrome for over 50 years, serving as a consultant for “Rain Main,” and appearing on CNN, Today, Dateline, 60 Minutes and The Discovery Channel. He has written two awarding-winning books on savant syndrome and shared his expertise in over 50 national and international publications.

Steve Leaman, vice president of Business Banking at Horicon Bank, will receive the Volunteer of the Year Award. Having a deep connection with Envision Greater Fond du Lac and the Association of Commerce, he has been a strong advocate of the organization in his role as ambassador. Over the past six years, this has led to the addition of many chamber members. In addition to being recognized as the “Business Partner of the Year” in 2017 for his involvement in Lemonade Day, he was recognized as a Future 5 Award recipient by the Young Professionals of Fond du Lac in 2017.

The event will begin at 5 p.m. with hor d’oeuvres, cash bar and networking to follow at 6. Cost is charged. Registration is required by Feb. 16 and available online at envisiongreaterfdl.com or by calling 920-921-9500.